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Illustration for “You said you'd be back in half an hour”

Spanish dialogue with translation · B2 · 18 lines

Dijiste que volverías en media hora You said you'd be back in half an hour

Comic · 18 panels

Panel 1 of 18 for “You said you'd be back in half an hour”: “Good morning, Manolo. It's Ana, Mr. Navarro's tenant, from Benimaclet.”
  1. Ana

    Manolo, buenos días. Soy Ana, la inquilina del señor Navarro, de Benimaclet.

    Good morning, Manolo. It's Ana, Mr. Navarro's tenant, from Benimaclet.

Panel 2 of 18 for “You said you'd be back in half an hour”: “Oh, Ana! I was planning to call you today, actually.”
  1. Manolo

    ¡Hombre, Ana! Justo hoy pensaba llamarte.

    Oh, Ana! I was planning to call you today, actually.

Panel 3 of 18 for “You said you'd be back in half an hour”: “On Thursday you said you were going to get a part and that you'd be back in half an hour. Today is Tuesday.”
  1. Ana

    El jueves dijiste que ibas a por una pieza y que volverías en media hora. Hoy es martes.

    On Thursday you said you were going to get a part and that you'd be back in half an hour. Today is Tuesday.

Panel 4 of 18 for “You said you'd be back in half an hour”: “I know, I know. It's just that the store didn't have that part. They told me they'd bring it in on Friday, and I'm still waiting for it.”
  1. Manolo

    Ya, mujer, es que esa pieza no la tenían en la tienda. Me dijeron que la traerían el viernes, y todavía la estoy esperando.

    I know, I know. It's just that the store didn't have that part. They told me they'd bring it in on Friday, and I'm still waiting for it.

Panel 5 of 18 for “You said you'd be back in half an hour”: “Well, you've left the job half-done: I've got a hole behind the sink and the tiles on the floor.”
  1. Ana

    Pues has dejado el trabajo a medias: tengo un agujero detrás del lavabo y los azulejos en el suelo.

    Well, you've left the job half-done: I've got a hole behind the sink and the tiles on the floor.

Panel 6 of 18 for “You said you'd be back in half an hour”: “I know. But I'm not making anything up: I can't keep going without the material.”
  1. Manolo

    Lo sé. Pero no me invento nada: sin el material no puedo seguir.

    I know. But I'm not making anything up: I can't keep going without the material.

Panel 7 of 18 for “You said you'd be back in half an hour”: “Besides, we agreed to talk on Monday. You said you'd call me, and nothing.”
  1. Ana

    Además, quedamos en hablar el lunes. Dijiste que me llamarías, y nada.

    Besides, we agreed to talk on Monday. You said you'd call me, and nothing.

Panel 8 of 18 for “You said you'd be back in half an hour”: “You're right: I agreed to call you and I forgot. You probably think I'm shameless.”
  1. Manolo

    Tienes razón: quedé en llamarte y se me olvidó. Pensarás que soy un caradura.

    You're right: I agreed to call you and I forgot. You probably think I'm shameless.

Panel 9 of 18 for “You said you'd be back in half an hour”: “I don't want to pressure you, but I've been brushing my teeth in the bathtub for five days.”
  1. Ana

    No quiero presionarte, pero llevo cinco días lavándome los dientes en la bañera.

    I don't want to pressure you, but I've been brushing my teeth in the bathtub for five days.

Panel 10 of 18 for “You said you'd be back in half an hour”: “Look, let me explain. That wall is a very hard brick wall, and the pipe is made of iron and it's very old: it'll have to be replaced completely.”
  1. Manolo

    Mira, te explico. Esa pared es un muro de ladrillo muy duro, y el tubo es de hierro y está muy viejo: habrá que cambiarlo entero.

    Look, let me explain. That wall is a very hard brick wall, and the pipe is made of iron and it's very old: it'll have to be replaced completely.

Panel 11 of 18 for “You said you'd be back in half an hour”: “And how long is it going to take you? Because I can't even hammer in a nail to hang the mirror.”
  1. Ana

    ¿Y cuánto vas a tardar? Porque ni siquiera puedo clavar un clavo para colgar el espejo.

    And how long is it going to take you? Because I can't even hammer in a nail to hang the mirror.

Panel 12 of 18 for “You said you'd be back in half an hour”: “One morning, that's all. I'll be at your place first thing on Monday.”
  1. Manolo

    Una mañana, nada más. El lunes a primera hora estoy en tu casa.

    One morning, that's all. I'll be at your place first thing on Monday.

Panel 13 of 18 for “You said you'd be back in half an hour”: “That's exactly what you said the first time: that you'd come on Monday at nine. And you didn't come.”
  1. Ana

    Eso mismo dijiste la primera vez: que vendrías el lunes a las nueve. Y no viniste.

    That's exactly what you said the first time: that you'd come on Monday at nine. And you didn't come.

Panel 14 of 18 for “You said you'd be back in half an hour”: “That time it was the van: it left me stranded. This time I won't back out: word of honor (man speaking).”
  1. Manolo

    Aquello fue la furgoneta, que me dejó tirado. Esta vez no me echo atrás: palabra de honor.

    That time it was the van: it left me stranded. This time I won't back out: word of honor (man speaking).

Panel 15 of 18 for “You said you'd be back in half an hour”: “OK. And since you're coming: the kitchen sink is dripping and the countertop is loose.”
  1. Ana

    Vale. Y ya que vienes: el fregadero de la cocina gotea y la encimera se mueve.

    OK. And since you're coming: the kitchen sink is dripping and the countertop is loose.

Panel 16 of 18 for “You said you'd be back in half an hour”: “I'll take a look at that for you too. It'll take a quarter of an hour.”
  1. Manolo

    Eso te lo miro también. Es un cuarto de hora.

    I'll take a look at that for you too. It'll take a quarter of an hour.

Panel 17 of 18 for “You said you'd be back in half an hour”: “I hope so. Mr. Navarro assured me you were very reliable.”
  1. Ana

    Eso espero. El señor Navarro me aseguró que eras muy cumplidor.

    I hope so. Mr. Navarro assured me you were very reliable.

Panel 18 of 18 for “You said you'd be back in half an hour”: “And I am! You'll see on Monday.”
  1. Manolo

    ¡Y lo soy, mujer! El lunes lo verás.

    And I am! You'll see on Monday.

Grammar for this text

Someone else's promise goes into the conditional. Ana throws Manolo's own words back at him: que volverías en media hora (he had said volveré), dijiste que me llamarías, que vendrías el lunes. The store made Manolo a promise too: me dijeron que la traerían el viernes. And dijiste que ibas a por una pieza is a shift you already know, voy → iba; ir a por means to go and get something.

Quedar en + verb — to agree to: quedamos en hablar el lunes; quedé en llamarte — I promised to call you.

Remember Manolo's exact words: Habrá que cambiarlo entero, El lunes a primera hora estoy en tu casa. In this unit's story, Ana retells them with the shift.

Pensarás que… — you probably think…: the future as a guess (unit 2). Palabra de honor — word of honor. Hombre and mujer here don't mean "man" and "woman": they just add warmth or mild protest, like "oh" or "come on".

Words and grammar of the unit: Remind a repairman of his promise.

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